Gustav Denk

Gustav Denk (24 January 1915 – 13 February 1943) was a German military aviator who served in the Luftwaffe during World War II. As a fighter ace, he was credited with 67 aerial victories—that is, 67 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—claimed in over 500 combat missions. One aerial victories were claimed over the Western Front, the other victories were claimed over the Eastern Front.

Denk was born in Soest, and following fighter pilot training was posted to Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) in 1939. He claimed his first aerial victory on 13 July 1940 during the Battle of Britain. In 1941, his unit was transferred east where it participated in Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. In January 1943, Denk was appointed Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 5. Staffel (5th squadron) of JG 52. On 13 February 1943, he was killed in action, shot down by Soviet anti-aircraft artillery near Chernigov. Posthumously, Denk was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 March 1943.

Career Denk was born on 24 January 1915 in Soest in the Province of Westphalia of the German Empire. In late 1939, he was posted to II. Gruppe (2nd group) of Jagdgeschwader 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing), at the time headed by Hauptmann Hans-Günther von Kornatzki. On 27 June 1940, II. Gruppe moved to an airfield at Nordholz located approximately south of Cuxhaven. Here on 13 July during the Battle of Britain, Denk claimed his first aerial victory when he shot down a Royal Air Force Bristol Blenheim bomber.

Operation Barbarossa In preparation of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, II. Gruppe of JG 52, without a period of replenishment in Germany, was ordered to airfields close to the German-Soviet demarcation line. While the Gruppenstab (group headquarters unit) and 4. Staffel were based at Suwałki in northeastern Poland, 5. and 6. Staffel were transferred to a forward airfield at Sobolewo. For the invasion, II. Gruppe of JG 52 was subordinated to the Geschwaderstab (headquarters unit) of Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing). The Geschwader was part of the VIII. Fliegerkorps commanded by Generaloberst Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen which supported the northern wing of Army Group Centre.

II. Gruppe was ordered to relocate to Soltsy, west of Lake Ilmen, on 5 August in support of the 16th Army and Army Group North. Here, the Gruppe supported the fighting south of Lake Ilmen, and the German attacks on Shlisselburg, Leningrad and the Soviet fleet at Kronstadt. On 24 August, II. Gruppe was ordered to an airfield at Spasskaya Polist on the river Polist, south of Chudovo and north of Novgorod on Lake Ilmen, supporting the 18th Army in its advance towards the Neva and Lake Ladoga. Here Denk claimed his second aerial victory and first on the Eastern Front on 25 August when he shot down an I-18 fighter, an alternative Luftwaffe name for a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1.

Since German forces had reached the proximity of Leningrad, II. Gruppe was ordered to Lyuban on 1 September, approximately to Leningrad and located on the road to Moscow. The Gruppe stayed at Lyuban until 30 September, flying missions to Shlisselburg, Leningrad and Mga. Here Denk claimed a Polikarpov I-16 fighter on 7 September and a Polikarpov I-153 fighter on 21 September.

Eastern Front In late January 1942, II. Gruppe was withdrawn from the Eastern Front and sent to Jesau near Königsberg for a period of recuperation and replenishment, arriving on 24 January 1942. In Jesau, the Gruppe received many factory-new Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 aircraft. On 14 April, II. Gruppe received orders to move to Pilsen, present-day Plzeň in the Czech Republic, for relocation to the Eastern Front. The Gruppe had also received a new commander, Hauptmann Erich Woitke had been transferred and was replaced by Hauptmann Johannes Steinhoff. The Gruppe then moved to Wien-Schwechat on 24 April before flying to Zürichtal, present-day Solote Pole, a village near the urban settlement Kirovske in the Crimea. There, II. Gruppe participated in Operation Trappenjagd, a German counterattack during the Battle of the Kerch Peninsula, launched on 8 May.

The Gruppe then moved to Maykop located in the North Caucasus on 21 September where, with the exception of 24 to 29 October, they were based until 26 November. Here, Denk claimed two aerial victories over Lavochkin-Gorbunov-Gudkov LaGG-3 fighters near Tuapse on 25 September, taking his total to 21 aerial victories. On 19 November, Soviet forces launched Operation Uranus which led to the encirclement of Axis forces in the vicinity of Stalingrad. To support the German forces fighting in the Battle of Stalingrad forced the Luftwaffe to relocate its forces and ordered II. Gruppe to move from Maykop to Morozovsk, located approximately west of Stalingrad, on 26 November. By end of November 1942, Denk's number of aerial victories had increased to 36, making him the fifth most successful fighter pilot of II. Gruppe.

On 23 December, Denk received the German Cross in Gold . On 30 December, the Gruppe was ordered to an airfield at Gigant, retreating from the advancing Soviet forces. There, the unit flew ground missions against the Soviet infantry as well as fighter escort missions for Luftwaffe Junkers Ju 87 dive bombers. On 22 January 1943, II. Gruppe had to retreat further and moved to an airfield at Rostov-on-Don. Operating from Rostov, Denk claimed a Petlyakov Pe-2 bomber on 26 January, a Polikarpov R-5 reconnaissance bomber on 27 January, two LaGG-3 fighters on 31 January, a Lavochkin La-5 fighter on 1 February, and another La-5 and a Yakovlev Yak-1 fighter the following day.

Squadron leader and death In January 1943, Denk officially succeeded Oberleutnant Siegfried Simsch as Staffelkapitän (squadron leader) of 5. Staffel of JG 52. Simsch had been wounded in combat on 3 November 1942. The Staffel had then been temporarily led by Oberfeldwebel Willi Nemitz. On 7 February, the Gruppe moved to Kuteinykove near Stalino, present-day Donetsk, where Denk claimed a Yak-1 that day. On 10 February, he succeeded Hauptmann Rudolf Resch as Staffelkapitän of 6. Staffel of JG 52. That day, the Gruppe was moved to the combat area of the Kuban bridgehead where it was initially based at an airfield at Slavyansk-na-Kubani. The next day on 11 February, he claimed two Yak-1 fighters. On 12 February, Denk became an ace-in-a-day, claiming four I-153 fighters and a R-5 reconnaissance bomber.

On 13 February, Denk claimed his 67th and last aerial victory when he shot down a Douglas A-20 Havoc, also known as "Boston". He was then killed in action when he was shot down in his Bf 109 G-2 (Werknummer 14554—factory number) by anti-aircraft artillery over the Soviet airfield at Chernigov. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 March 1943. Denk was succeeded by Nemitz as commander of 6. Staffel.

Summary of career Aerial victory claims According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Denk was credited with 67 aerial victories. Spick also lists Denk with 67 aerial victories claimed in over 500 combat missions. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 67 aerial victory claims, plus one further unconfirmed claim. All but two of his confirmed victories were claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 95722". The Luftwaffe grid map covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about . These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area in size.

Chronicle of aerial victories Claim Date Time Type Location Claim Date Time Type Location – 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Battle of Britain and on the English Channel — 26 June 1940 – 9 June 1941 1 13 July 1940 19:50 Blenheim northwest of Borkum 1 May 1941 14:28 Blenheim – 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Operation Barbarossa — 22 June – 6 November 1941 2 25 August 1941 16:35 I-18 (MiG-1) 4 21 September 1941 05:55 I-153 3 7 September 1941 18:30 I-16 – Stab II. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — 7 May 1942 – January 1943 5 9 May 1942 15:27 I-16 29 12 November 1942 14:04 I-16 PQ 95722 north-northeast of Tuapse 6 13 June 1942 10:27 LaGG-3 30 12 November 1942 14:06 Il-2 PQ 95753 east of Tuapse 7 22 August 1942 10:56 I-153 PQ 49334south of Stalingrad 31 15 November 1942 09:14 Yak-1 PQ 94161, Lazarevskoye southwest of Pavlovskaya 8 23 August 1942 05:40 LaGG-3 PQ 49661 southeast of Stalingrad 32 28 November 1942 12:06 Il-2 PQ 49382 south of Bassargino 9 23 August 1942 17:30 LaGG-3 PQ 49271 east of Stalingrad 33 28 November 1942 12:10 Il-2 PQ 49353south of Bassargino 10 7 September 1942 12:05 I-16 PQ 44651 34 30 November 1942 13:09 Yak-1 PQ 39143 west-northwest of Kalach 11 9 September 1942 05:38 LaGG-3 PQ 54571west of Bolkhov 35 30 November 1942 13:12 Yak-1 PQ 39153 northwest of Kalach 12 9 September 1942 14:04 LaGG-3 PQ 44444 36 30 November 1942 13:15 Il-2 PQ 29432vicinity of Usawijnskij 13 9 September 1942 14:08 LaGG-3 PQ 44482 37 1 December 1942 08:57 P-40 PQ 39311 east-northeast of Oblivskaya 14 10 September 1942 14:07 LaGG-3 PQ 44153vicinity of Wosnessnokaja 38 2 December 1942 12:14 Yak-1 PQ 49354south of Bassargeno 15 12 September 1942 14:12? P-40? PQ 49413, Krasnaya Slobodasouth of Malgobek 39 2 December 1942 12:16 Il-2 PQ 49354south of Bassargeno 16 16 September 1942 16:20 LaGG-3 PQ 54414, northeast of Kalinowskajavicinity of Kalinowskaja 40 8 December 1942 09:45 Yak-1 PQ 39651 north of Shutow 17 16 September 1942 16:21 LaGG-3 PQ 54414, northeast of Kalinowskajavicinity of Kalinowskaja 41 8 December 1942 09:46 Yak-1 PQ 39654, Nowy Jereskij north of Shutow 18 18 September 1942 14:15 I-153 PQ 54412vicinity of Kalinowskaja 42 8 December 1942 09:58 P-40 PQ 39491vicinity of Nowij-Kut 19 18 September 1942 14:16 I-153 PQ 54412vicinity of Kalinowskaja 43 18 December 1942 10:33 Yak-1 PQ 39823vicinity of Gromosslawka 20 25 September 1942 16:30 LaGG-3 PQ 95763, Tuapse 44 18 December 1942 10:34 Yak-1 PQ 39733 northwest of Shutow 21 25 September 1942 16:31 LaGG-3 PQ 95763, Tuapse 45 19 December 1942 13:14 La-5 PQ 49534 south of Stalingrad 22 26 October 1942 14:20 Yak-1 PQ 44784 46 19 December 1942 13:15 Yak-1 PQ 49641 south-southeast of Stalingrad 23 30 October 1942 12:33 Yak-1 PQ 94161, Lazarevskoye 47 19 December 1942 13:17 Yak-1 PQ 49671 south-southeast of Stalingrad 24 30 October 1942 12:37 Yak-1 PQ 94161, Lazarevskoye 48 20 December 1942 10:54 Il-2 PQ 39853 25 2 November 1942 11:56 LaGG-3 PQ 94152 49 22 December 1942 10:51? La-5 PQ 39823, north of Vasilyevkavicinity of Gromosslawka 26 2 November 1942 11:56 LaGG-3 PQ 94152 50 26 December 1942 10:28? La-5 PQ 39812 northwest of Shutow 27 3 November 1942 11:32 Pe-2 PQ 94481 51 28 December 1942 10:27 La-5 PQ 38351, north of Kotelnikowo 28 3 November 1942 12:00 LaGG-3 PQ 94152 – 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — January – 3 February 1943 52 26 January 1943 10:35 Pe-2 PQ 08613 56 1 February 1943 12:00 La-5 PQ 18544 53 27 January 1943 14:25 R-5 PQ 07442 57 2 February 1943 06:50 La-5 PQ 12842 west-northwest of Neshin 54 31 January 1943 13:07 LaGG-3 PQ 99601 58 2 February 1943 13:32 Yak-1 PQ 08843 55 31 January 1943 13:10 LaGG-3 PQ 99541 – 5. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — 4 – 10 February 1943 59 7 February 1943 12:54 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 99662 east of Rovenki – 6. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 52 –Eastern Front — 10 – 13 February 1943 60 11 February 1943 06:00 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 8646 64♠ 12 February 1943 14:35 I-153 PQ 34 Ost 85482vicinity of Schabonowskoja 61 11 February 1943 06:02 Yak-1 PQ 34 Ost 8649 65♠ 12 February 1943 14:37 I-153 PQ 34 Ost 85624Lake south of Nowo-Michajlowskoje 62♠ 12 February 1943 07:50 I-153 PQ 34 Ost 85174west of Eriwanskaja 66♠ 12 February 1943 14:42 R-5 PQ 34 Ost 85833Oljginka 63♠ 12 February 1943 07:53 I-153 PQ 34 Ost 85311vicinity of Schapssugskaja 67 13 February 1943 09:38 Boston PQ 34 Ost 86522Storo-Dsherilijewskaja

Awards Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe on 2 November 1942 as Leutnant and pilot German Cross in Gold on 23 December 1942 as Leutnant in the II./Jagdgeschwader 52 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 March 1943 as Oberleutnant and pilot in the II./Jagdgeschwader 52